Chapter 2

"Yaaaaaah!"

A few minutes after entering the forest, the girl was being chased by a giant salamander that could easily swallow an adult man whole.

Not only that, it could breathe fire, making it a dangerous creature that could start a forest fire.

The sheer terror of a giant lizard approaching at a speed that belied its appearance was immeasurable.

However, the girl was not swallowed whole. Her ability to evade by weaving through the trees and using the terrain was not typical of an ordinary village girl.

She managed to avoid the giant salamander by hiding behind a large rock at the bottom of a slope.

But her relief was short-lived. The giant salamander's mouth released a radial burst of flames.

"No way...!"

The situation was so shocking that she couldn't help but exclaim. The trees caught fire, and the flames began to spread. A forest fire would be disastrous for the girl.

As her anxiety grew about what to do next, she noticed something flying towards her.

Darting around and dodging branches, it was a bird-like creature called a Spral, which sprayed water like a sprinkler.

The girl was grateful to the Spral for putting out the fire, but the creature hadn't intended to help her. The water it sprayed was actually its droppings, used to mark its territory.

The reason the forest didn't easily catch fire despite the giant salamander's flames was due to this ecosystem.

The girl, who had encountered such bizarre creatures early in her journey, was naturally terrified.

But at the same time, she was excited. This was the Forest of Magic, and this was adventure. Adventurers fought against such nature to weave their stories.

The sense of purpose that met her expectations made the girl unable to sit still.

"Will this do...?"

The branch she found was nothing special. Swinging it around wouldn't even intimidate a human.

But it was better than nothing, and the girl gripped the unreliable branch. She swung it back and forth to get a feel for it.

It was a motion she had practiced many times in the village. Despite having no combat experience, she wasn't as anxious as before.

The branch was thick and had some weight to it, and it seemed quite sturdy, probably due to the type of tree.

To survive for a week, she first needed a hiding place, food, and water. In the unfamiliar forest, her first action was to explore.

She walked cautiously, keeping an eye out to avoid being spotted by more monsters.

She eventually found a small cave and decided to make it her home.

The next step was to find food and water. If she could find some fruit, it would be ideal, but there was no guarantee it wouldn't be poisonous. The girl made up her mind.

Since the giant salamander was too large, her target was a smaller monster, the "Yanagra," which had prominent antlers resembling a deer.

Even then, it was a threat to an unarmed human, but the girl was confident. She pounced from behind without hesitation and swung the branch.

"Haah!"

"Kyaa!"

She shattered its hind legs and, as it tilted, struck its head repeatedly to finish it off. She took a breath as she looked down at the motionless Yanagra.

Her combat skills were self-taught, but her first battle went well.

She had watched Aldis's swordsmanship and Dorand's martial arts.

She had burned these techniques into her memory. Though she was a novice, her natural talent, which she wasn't even aware of, set her apart from an ordinary village girl.

"Hmm, maybe I'll be called untalented. Aldis could have taken it down much faster. I need to try harder..."

Muttering to herself, she dragged the Yanagra by its hind legs. Feeling secure with her food supply, she remembered an important task.

"How do I butcher it..."

She had some experience with butchering from her village days, but she needed a blade. She decided to find a suitable stone and sharpen it.

It was a time-consuming process, but she rubbed stones together with determination.

Using the crude knife she made, she butchered the creature. The next challenge was fire. She gathered dry wood and extended her hand.

"...Fire"

The magic was far less impressive than Bandela's, but she cast a fire spell from her palm.

Bandela's magic was incredibly powerful, and the girl had once run around in fear to avoid being caught in it.

However, she had memorized the magical gestures by watching.

She roasted the meat, and by the time she finished eating and extinguished the fire, it was almost nightfall. Walking around at night would be dangerous with poor visibility.

She decided to spend the night in the small cave.

* * *

The first three days passed without incident. She could survive by staying in this small cave, but the girl felt her inadequacy.

To gain Aldis's recognition after being called untalented, she had to improve.

The girl, unaware that she had been abandoned, was earnest and serious.

But this made her stronger.

Holding a wooden stick in one hand and the crude stone knife in the other, she wanted to become strong enough to defeat a monster stronger than the Yanagra.

Her equipment was too weak, but she refused to compromise.

She couldn't fight because she lacked a weapon and training, but she didn't make excuses.

Her earnest, serious, and positive, even stubborn, nature would surely lead her to greater heights.

"Oh, that bird...!"

It was the Spral that had inadvertently helped her on the first day. It was flying around at a moderate height, as if on patrol.

On the first day, the Spral hadn't noticed her, but now its round eyes caught sight of her.

The girl was quicker to react. She picked up a stone and threw it, hitting the Spral's head as it dove.

The Spral, disoriented, flew off in the wrong direction. The girl didn't miss her chance and threw another stone.

Holding the stone with both hands, she aimed and hit the Spral with precision. The accuracy would have stunned a thief skilled in throwing stones.

As a result, the girl brought down the Spral, which was not a weak monster, with just stones.

Unbeknownst to her, the stones had hit the Spral's vital points. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to bring it down with stones.

"Phew! That was good, that was good..."

Relieved, the girl brought the Spral to her bed and began the butchering process. The meat was different from the Yanagra's, and she was particularly moved by its taste.

With her stomach full, she moved on to the next problem: water. She needed to find a water source, but it might be guarded by monsters.

She might not be able to handle them.

She cautiously approached, avoiding the giant salamander, and found a small stream. She cupped her hands and started drinking.

The cold water felt refreshing, and she felt satisfied, listening to the stream's murmur.

* * *

After days of survival, the promised deadline was finally approaching.

Since then, the girl had become proficient at hunting Yanagra and Spral, but she still avoided the giant salamander.

Its massive body and thick skin were too tough for her crude stone knife. Was this enough? The girl pondered.

She felt stronger than on the first day.

But the Forest of Magic was vast, and there were areas with even stronger monsters.

Even the resilient girl was exhausted after a week of camping in such a place. Her survival without any preparation was impressive.

However, the hero Aldis was on a much higher level. She constantly compared herself to Aldis, fueling her ambition.

This drive, combined with her potential, had led her to gain practical experience.

If Aldis saw the girl now, he would be amazed. But they wouldn't meet here.

That night, the girl had a dream.

* * *

At dusk, after a day of harvesting, the girl sat with her father, overlooking the fields.

"Do you still want to be an adventurer?"

"Yes. I want to see things with my own eyes, walk, and have adventures."

"Farming is harsh. Even with hard work, disasters can ruin everything. The same goes for adventurers. It's not all good."

"I know, but..."

"When things get tough, you might want to run away. Adventurers can even lose their lives... Living a peaceful life, even if it's boring, is the best."

"But I know. Dad and Mom, they feed me, but sometimes they don't eat much themselves."

"They eat later..."

"It's a lie. I heard the men talking; life in this village is barely manageable. Yet, they raised me... That's why. I want to be an adventurer, but also to repay them and the village."

"I'm glad to hear that, but it's dangerous..."

"I know crops are rewarding when they grow. I think adventurers also have their rewards, even if it's dangerous and tough. There are definitely good things too!"

"You're right. But your parents don't want you to do dangerous things... Understand that."

"I understand, but..."

* * *

When she woke up, tears were streaming down her cheeks.

Something was approaching, rustling the grass and leaves.

She woke up suddenly and held her breath as something peered into the cave.

"What...?!"

If her reaction had been slower, she would have lost her life. Without hesitation, she ran towards the entrance, the monster.

She slipped through the gap between the monster's face and the cave entrance, and as she emerged, the cave was filled with flames. It was the giant salamander. Whether it was the same one from the first day was unknown.

It might have followed her scent or had some other habit. Her luck in avoiding it until now was fortunate.

She realized her immaturity and felt ashamed. She only had a wooden stick and a stone knife, and running was her only option.

But she reconsidered. She couldn't keep running all night.

In the dark forest, it would be too late to fight if she waited.

She decided to stand her ground and thrust the stone knife into the approaching giant salamander's eye.

The giant salamander, bleeding from one eye, shook with anger.

She jumped onto its back and swung the wooden stick, but it had no effect on its thick skin.

The stone knife was still embedded in one eye. She had inflicted damage, but it wasn't fatal. If it breathed fire, it would be the end.

She thought. How could she deal a fatal blow to this creature?

"That's the only way!"

She had to end it before the giant salamander breathed fire.

Taking a risk, she charged. The small girl aimed for the stone knife embedded in the giant salamander's eye, pushing it deeper.

The giant salamander screamed, thrashed, and gradually stopped moving.

She hadn't finished it off, but it would die if left alone.

"I'll take the knife back..."

As she pulled the stone knife from the giant salamander's eye, it crumbled. She felt a chill, thinking how close she had come to death.

If the knife had been a bit shorter, it might not have reached the vital organs. She sat down, catching her breath.

"This is the only weapon I have... I don't have time to make another stone knife now."

She muttered to no one in particular. It was getting dark, and she had to leave. The smell of blood might attract other monsters.

Finding another convenient cave was unlikely. With the deadline approaching, the tension and anxiety made her heart race.